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the main news talking points.
OBAMAS TO MAKE STATE VISIT IN MAYBarack
and Michelle Obama have accepted an invitation from the Queen to make a
state visit to Britain on May 24-26, the first by a US president since
George Bush came in 2003. The Obamas will stay at Buckingham Palace, and
receive a ceremonial welcome and a state banquet. They will travel on to
Deauville for this year's G8 summmit.
MORE VIOLENCE FEARED AFTER FRIDAY PRAYERS
Arab nations are braced for further violence after Friday prayers today,
especially in Libya, Bahrain and Yemen. As manay as 15 people are
reported dead in Libya following the violent putdown of anti-Gaddafi
protesters there yesterday. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has
expressed "deep concern" at the apparently brutal police tactics in
Bahrain, home to the US Fifth Fleet.
In pictures: Pearl Square crackdown
Briefing: What chance another leader falling?
COALITION ATTACKS 'CRAZY' LOCAL COUNCIL NON-JOBS
As local councils threaten to cut frontline service because of cuts in
funding from central government, the coalition has turned on the growing
number of wasteful 'non-jobs' created by councils since 1997. "Crazy
non-jobs like cheerleading development officers and press officers
tasked with spinning propaganda on bin collections provide no value to
the public," said Bob Neill, the local government minister.
Big Society video comes back to haunt Sam Cam
BREWER RECALLS BEER BOTTLES IN GLASS SCARE
The UK brewer Wells and Young's has recalled up to 750,000 bottles of
beer, including such brands as Wells Bombardier and Courage Directors,
after glass was found in a small number of bottles during an internal
quality check. Supermarkets, off-licences and some pubs are affected.
The BBC has a
full list of the affected brands.
MADDIE IS IN AMERICA, CLAIMS PRIVATE EYE
Marcelino
Italiano, a private investigator, has told Spanish and
Portuguese police the identities of two people who he is certain were
responsible for abducting
Madeleine McCann on the Algarve in
2007, according to the
Sun. Italiano says: "I know these people were involved and I
have been told that Madeleine may now be in America."
Kate and
Gerry McCann are said to be "grateful" for the information.
THREE EX-MINISTERS ARRESTED IN CAIROThree
former Egyptian government ministers and the steel tycoon Ahmed Ezz, a
close friend of ex-President Mubarak, have been arrested for alleged
corruption in what is seen as an attempt by the military-led interim
government to calm continuing unrest. The ministers include Habib
el-Adly, who as interior minister was in charge of police and is blamed
for over-the-top use of force against protesters.
INSURERS LAUNCH PRIVATE FLEET TO FIGHT PIRATES
Leading figures at Lloyd's are finalising plans to launch a private
fleet of armed patrol boats to fight Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden,
according to the
Times. The Convoy Escort Programme (CEP) was conceived by the
insurance bosses in a bid to cut the rocketing cost of insuring vessels,
cargo and crews against pirate attacks. The Royal Navy is said to be
'monitoring' the project.
ROD STEWART A FATHER FOR EIGHTH TIMERock
star Rod Stewart has become a father for the eight time after his third
wife, model Penny Lancaster, gave birth to a boy, Aiden. Stewart, 65,
also has children by each of his first two wives, Rachel Hunter and
Alana Hamilton, and from a relationship with model Kelly Emberg. His
first child, Sarah, was given up for adoption when the singer was a
teenager in London in the early Sixties.
BRITAIN 16th in world drinking leagueThe
average Briton drinks the equivalent of almost 500 pints of beer, or
13-and-a-half litres of pure alcohol, a year according to figures
published by the World Health Organisation. The UK comes 16th in the
WHO's league table of alcohol consumption. Moldova is top. The report
claims one in 15 men in Britain is an alcoholic.
SOLAR ERUPTIONS HEAD FOR EARTHThe
Northern Lights may be visible in mainland Britain tonight thanks to a
series of huge eruptions on the face of the sun. The coronal mass
ejections have sent a cloud of magnetic particles and radiation towards
earth. When the 'solar tsunami' hits it could affect satellites, power
grids and communications networks.
Aurora could be visible in UK after huge solar
flares
